The Rosetta Roast – Homemade Laminated Herb Pasta with Ricotta Filling, Red Wine Braised Beef, and Red Wine Tomato Garlic Sauce

In Collaboration with Food Talk Santa Cruz

This beautiful dish was created in collaboration with Donnie from Food Talk Santa Cruz — a talented and creative cook in our community.
Together, we set out to make something that felt elevated yet comforting — a true expression of Santa Cruz food culture: fresh herbs from the garden, slow-cooked local ingredients, and a whole lot of heart.

If you haven’t checked out Food Talk Santa Cruz, you’re missing out — Donnie’s recipes and storytelling capture everything that makes our local food scene special.

Homemade Laminated Herb Pasta with Ricotta Filling, Red Wine Braised Beef, and Tomato Garlic Sauce

Servings: 6–8
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 4–5 hours
Total Time: About 6 hours (worth every minute!)

This dish is a show-stopping labor of love — layers of fresh herb-laminated pasta, creamy ricotta and mozzarella filling, slow-braised red wine beef chuck, and a garlicky tomato-wine sauce that ties it all together. Each pasta rose (or rosetta) is hand-rolled, delicate, and full of flavor — the perfect dish for a dinner party, date night, or holiday table.

Ingredients

For the Braised Beef

4 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 3–4 inch chunks
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cups red wine
4 cups broth (beef, vegetable, or chicken)
Salt and pepper to taste (try red wine salt for extra depth)
2 tbsp olive oil

For the Fresh Laminated Herb Pasta

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling)
4 large eggs
Fresh herbs: a handful each of rosemary, basil, sage, and parsley

For the Cheese Filling

1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
1 container (8 oz) mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Red Wine Tomato Garlic Sauce

4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup red wine
16 oz tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Optional: extra fresh herbs for garnish

Instructions

Step 1: Braise the Beef

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Season beef chunks generously on all sides with salt (or your favorite seasoning blend).
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until deeply golden, then remove and set aside.
In the same pot, sauté the onions until soft and lightly caramelized.
Return the beef to the pot. Pour in the red wine and broth until the meat is nearly submerged.
Cover and bake in the oven for 4–5 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Once finished, shred the beef and set aside with a bit of the braising liquid to keep it moist.

Step 2: Make the Pasta Dough

By Hand:

On a clean surface, mound the flour and make a large well in the center.
Crack eggs into the well and whisk gently with a fork, slowly incorporating flour from the sides.
Once a shaggy dough forms, knead by hand for about 5 minutes, until smooth.
Wrap in plastic and rest for 30 minutes.

By Stand Mixer:

Add 2 ½ cups flour and eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
Mix on low, then medium-high for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Laminate the Pasta with Fresh Herbs

Cut the rested dough into 4–6 smaller pieces.
Working one piece at a time, roll through a pasta roller (or with a rolling pin) — starting at the thickest setting and moving thinner each time.
Cut each sheet into 13–15 inch strips. Lay one pasta sheet flat and evenly spread fresh herbs across the surface.
Lay another sheet of pasta on top, sandwiching the herbs.
Run this “laminated” sheet back through the pasta roller one more time (second-to-lowest setting) to seal the herbs between layers.
Set aside on a floured surface.

Step 4: Make the Cheese Filling

In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Transfer to a piping bag (or a resealable plastic bag with the tip snipped).

Step 5: Shape the Rosettas

Pipe a line from left to right of the filling about ¼ inch above the bottom edge of each pasta strip.
Fold the bottom of the pasta up and over the filling, pressing gently to seal. Use a little water on your fingertips if needed.
Roll the filled pasta strip from one end to the other to create a rose shape.
Press the seam to seal. Repeat with remaining dough.

Step 6: Make the Red Wine Garlic Tomato Sauce

In a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté until fragrant and golden, about 1 minute.
Carefully pour in red wine (stand back — it can flame!). Simmer for 1 minute.
Add tomato sauce and fresh herbs, then reduce heat and let simmer gently while cooking the pasta.

Step 7: Cook the Rosetta Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil.
Using a slotted spoon or spider, lower a one rosetta at a time into the water.
Boil 2–5 minutes, depending on thickness, until al dente. Handle carefully to keep their rose shape.

Step 8: Assemble the Rosetta Roast

Spoon a generous layer of the red wine tomato sauce onto your serving plate.
Add a portion of shredded beef on top.
Place one or two rosettas over the beef.
Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan, chopped herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil.

✨ Tips & Variations

Add a splash of cream or butter to your tomato sauce for a richer, velvety finish.
Substitute the beef with short ribs or lamb shoulder for a twist.
Freeze leftover rosettas before boiling for up to 2 months.

❤️ Why You’ll Love the Rosetta Roast

This dish captures everything comforting about Italian cooking — slow, intentional, layered, and beautiful. The herb-laminated pasta looks like art on a plate, the filling is creamy and rich, and the braised beef adds that deep, red-wine warmth that makes everyone go quiet at the dinner table.